


Delayed Tradition

by RobinNightngale



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Nightwing (Comics), Red Robin (Comics)
Genre: Brotherly Fluff, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-10
Updated: 2014-08-10
Packaged: 2018-02-12 15:53:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,029
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2115810
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RobinNightngale/pseuds/RobinNightngale
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After a long time away from Gotham Tim gets an unexpected visit from Dick leading to the return of a missed tradition for the boys.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Delayed Tradition

**Author's Note:**

  * For [larynth](https://archiveofourown.org/users/larynth/gifts).



> For the first Batfam Christmas exchange.

Tim sighed as he leaned back from his computer screen, the eerie glow casting shadows around the dark bedroom of his apartment as it gave his face a green tint.  The shadows under his eyes looking larger as he rubbed at them; he had worked thirty-six hours straight.  Exhaustion still sat far off in the wings but he could feel mental weariness creeping along his brain and pulling at his concentration. He checked the time with a glance; the afternoon had snuck away from and a peek through the open window showed him the sunset.  Warm colors of red, orange and yellow seeped from behind the pitch black silhouette of the Gotham skyline, clouds flecking the sky as darkness readily took over where the daylight receded.

The cold biting air of December in the northern city fogged his window as he shivered a bit.  Months had passed since he had last set foot in the place—his work as Red Robin called for a more international approach than it had as Robin—and the heating in his apartment still struggled to compensate for the influx between the bone chilling atmosphere and its unused system.  A shiver up his spine made him quiver as he felt the grasp of winter slowly closing around him.  Shaking his head, he pushed away from the computer and closed it with a snap, though not loud enough to cover up the tentative knock at his frosted window pane.

His eyes drifted up, curious, as he hadn’t told a soul about his return. Not seeing anyone he almost dismissed it, but something nagged at him as he walked over and slid the window open, his breath fogged out in front of him as flakes fell thick and clumping from the slate grey clouds pushing through in the night. Turning his head towards the fire escape, he saw the figure slightly shivering and he couldn’t help but chuckle to himself.

“You know there are pluses to having capes.”  He ran his hands through his hair as he sighed at the older man, attempting to figure how long they had gone without seeing each other.

“T-Too much drag... Can I... come in?” Nightwing asked tentatively as he uncurled the arms wrapped around himself.

Tim smiled and pulled his head back in so the other could climb through and unfurl his limbs.  “How’d you know I’d be here to answer?”

“I didn’t.” Dick looked a bit sheepish as he took the mask off and removed his shoes.  “Do you still have the clothes I left here the last time I was he-”

“Left dresser, middle drawer.” Dick pivoted and searched through the drawer as he peeled the costume off of himself.  “I’ll go make us some hot tea.”  It didn’t take long for his older brother to join him, gratefully taking the outstretched mug.  “Long night?”  A tired smile sat on Tim’s lips.

“Yeah, just, I dunno I missed spending time with you Timbo and I at least wanted to stop by.”

Tim looked down into his steaming mug, the color of his tea flowing out of the bag and curling around the water, “I... I miss it too, I’m glad you’re here, things have been tiring.”  Without even a moment passing, he felt Dick’s still cold body pressed against him in a tight hug, miraculously not disrupting either mug or sloshing their contents.

“Can we do some bonding?”  The muffled request barely made it out of Tim’s hair where Dick had buried his face.

“I don’t think we need it,” the young man laughed as he squeezed him closer.  “Though... we did miss our Halloween tradition...” 

Dick pulled away, his eyes lit up like the embers of a stoked fire, “Really?!”

“Sure why not?  Classics or are we testing the water with some actual new ones this year?” 

“Have you seen anything deserving this tradition?”  He received a sigh and pointed look.  Dick laughed and ruffled Tim’s hair, “Didn’t think so, classics it is!”

The two made their way to the living room after making some popcorn, Tim searching for the DVDs while Dick made a nest of all the blankets and pillows he could find to warm his shivering form up.  “Your heat sucks.”

“My heat hasn’t been turned on in ages,” the teen retorted as he popped the disc in and turned off the lights before nestling into the tiny spot Dick had left him, only to find himself cuddled into his grasp.  The opening credits of  The Shining played and Tim could feel Dick’s grip on him tighten a bit.  He smiled to himself in the dark; he couldn’t think of the last time he had felt so content, his older brother’s grip and presence so filled with emotion next to him making him forget about the laptop in his room, and the battles he fought every day.  Relaxing even more, he cuddled back into his brother and lost himself in the movie.

Feeling every flinch ripple through him as Dick pulled him closer, Tim chuckled a bit at the pounding of his brothers heart against his back. Though the beat stayed rapid it still brought comfort, it reassuring him that though they saw all sorts of horror, life could retain some bits of normalcy.

“Stop laughing at me,” the pout came through loud and clear as Dick mumbled into his hair.  This just caused the younger to laugh even more as he felt his eyes begin to grow heavy, exhaustion finally kicking in. “You know, all work and no play makes Timmy a tightly wound and extremely tired Baby Bird...”

“Dick...  Thank you for this...”  Even Tim heard the sleepiness in his own voice as he spoke, nuzzling closer to Dick without even thinking as he struggled to focus on the movie.

“It’s why I’m here Timbo.  I’m your big brother I’ll always take care of you.”  Dick’s voice crept to Tim from somewhere in the distance as he felt his hair stroked soothingly.  The sounds of the movie and Dick’s steady heartbeat lulled him into a deep sleep in the nest of blankets and arms, a small smile hinting at his lips.


End file.
